What is "svazarm"

Svazarm or Union for Cooperation with the Army ( Czech: Svaz pro spolupráci s armádou / Svazarm, Slovak: Zväz pre spoluprácu s armádou / Zväzarm), was, in Communist Czechoslovakia, the largest " paramilitary" organisation, although many of the activities that Svazarm provided for its members were more reminiscent of a Boy Scout movement than of a regimented paramilitary group.

Established in 1951, the Svazarm was an almost exact copy of the Soviet Union's DOSAAF, however, with massively scaled down maritime activities as Czechoslovakia was landlocked. However, canoeing was still a popular activity. In 1985, it had about one million members, 60% of whom were under 35 years of age.